


Sam's First Holiday with Jack's Extended Family

by ONeillwith2ls



Series: Shipmas2020 [8]
Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2020-12-19
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:20:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28173063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ONeillwith2ls/pseuds/ONeillwith2ls
Summary: Written for #Shipmas 2020.He wouldn't tell her where they were going. She's in for a surprise!
Relationships: Samantha "Sam" Carter/Jack O'Neill
Series: Shipmas2020 [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2063742
Comments: 13
Kudos: 42





	Sam's First Holiday with Jack's Extended Family

**Author's Note:**

> This might turn into more chapters, but for now---

"Jack, where are we going?" Sam asked him again, confused as they passed through yet another town. "We've been driving for hours."

"If you ask that one more time, I'll start taking wrong turns which will only add to the time."

"You wouldn't?" She said, looking at him with a question in her eyes.

"Oh, wouldn't I?" He teased, turning his indicator on.

"No, no no no," she objected with her hands. “I wasn't complaining, I swear, I swear--"

"Relax, Carter, this is the right way." He smiled before he chuckled and reached over to her thigh squeezing it. "You're stressed." He observed.

"You're not telling me anything." She argued before she added. “You know, Jack, I trust you…” She raised her hand to her mouth when she realized what she had just said. She trusted her husband, knowing him the way she did. She knew he always had her best interests at heart.

Jack could hear the frustration in her voice. They had been driving for a while and Jack hadn’t told her where they were going. Hopefully, he would enjoy this surprise as much as she did with their winter camping trip to watch the Aurora Borealis.

He nodded and taking a little pity, he told her. "We're going to about four more miles down this road."

She looked out confused. It was starting to get dark and she was convinced there couldn't be anything for miles since they passed that last town. Sitting back, she decided that should just sit back and stare at the passing scenery, which was getting harder to see as the daylight was starting to fade.

But when they approached the four-mile mark, she saw a rural driveway veering off from the main road – just like he said, which meant that this place was familiar to her husband. 

Jack slowly turned into the driveway between the hedges slowly. The green shrubbery became less dominant and finally they reached a clearing which reveal a medium-sized farmhouse, typical for this area. He pulled up on to a dusty driveway before stopping the car in one of the unofficial parking spots right outside the house. She peered at the farmhouse and frowned slightly, still having no idea where they were, but by the time she snapped out of it, Jack had jumped out the truck and opened her door for her, offering his hand to help her out. She took it, continuing to look at him oddly, but trusted him as he led her into the house.

They entered the farmhouse through the kitchen which looked as rustic as the outside. She wondered how it was he seemed to be able to just walk in. She didn't know to ask her unanswered questions but her thoughts were interrupted by a soft voice.

"Jonathan, is that you?" She heard an elderly female voice ask from outside the kitchen.

" _ Jonathan _ ?" Sam repeated wordlessly as he hung her coat next to his on the rack.

As reassurance, Jack took Sam by the hand and started to lead her through to another room. "Yeah, mom, I'm home."

Sam's eyes went wide with surprise as they rounded the corner to what they used to call the parlor, she couldn't help but blurt out as she stared at her husband. "Mom?!" 

Before Jack could answer, he stopped at the doorway of next room. She came to a sudden stop, almost bumping into him, as she turned in the same direction as her husband’s. That was when she saw an older woman sitting in one of a pair of rocking chairs that faced an open fire. A shawl covered her shoulders as her hands were busily crocheting a blanket. Between the two rocking chairs stood a short sofa chair. 

Jack let go of her hand and walked over to his mother. He crouched for a moment before tenderly saying "mom" and giving the woman a hug. Sam’s eyes teared slightly as she witnessed the gentle scene between mother and son. “Merry Christmas Mom.” he whispered.

To Sam, his mother was extraordinary woman. Her hair, which she wore in a long plait over one shoulder, was all white, her skin was fair and smooth, belying her age, and her eyes were bright blue like hers.

His mother looked at Sam and laughingly quipped. "You O'Neill boys sure have a type, don't you?" 

Jack looked back at Sam and smiled in agreement. "You're going to love her--" he whispered to his mother. "Samantha--" Standing up, he held out a hand to Sam. Slowly, as if she were in a dream, she walked over to his side and took his hand. Her heart was racing; she couldn't help but look at the older woman, searching for anything of Jack in her. "This is my mother, Abby O'Neill." He introduced them to each other. "Mom, this is Samantha Carter-O'Neill," he grinned. "My wife." He whispered reverently as he spoke the words that were rarely spoken out loud.

His mother looked first at him then at Sam, her expression placid. Without looking at Jack, she said firmly. "Jonathan, be a good boy and go make some tea." 

Sam stood there stunned, uncertain of what she was feeling. A small smile started to appear on her lips as she heard this tiny (in size) woman ordering an Air Force General around amusing. Jack, like a cadet, obediently jumped up and went with it. "Yes, ma'am."

After giving Sam’s hand a little squeeze, Jack quickly walked out of the room leaving a stunned looking Sam in his wake.

“And use the good china,” She called out after him. And from the kitchen, he responded patiently, “Yes, ma’am.”

Once they were alone, the older woman looked kindly at Sam and said gently. "He didn't tell you where you were going, did he?"

"No, ma'am." Sam answered quietly, as she stood there, bewilderment in her eyes.

"You might want to sit down, dear," she informed Sam, pointing to the sofa next to her, her blue eyes laughing. "It helps with the shock."

Like Jack, Sam did as she was told and before she knew it, she found herself a seat on the sofa close to Jack’s mother. Stunned, she managed to say, "It’s a pleasure to meet you, ma’am."

"Samantha Carter--" She smiled, repeating the name, as she recalled the frequency that name was mentioned since he took up his assignment at the Cheyenne Mountain Complex. "Are you the Carter he hasn't shut up about for the past eight years?" 

Sam looked into the older woman’s eyes, a slow smile appeared on her face. She whispered softly, "He talks about me?"

"He calls you brilliant and wonderful."

"It’s a sentiment I wholeheartedly return."

His mother looked taken aback, hiding her thoughts from the younger woman. "You think my son is brilliant?"

"I know he is. " Her answer was firm and assured. It showed Abby the strength of her love was when it came to her son

"Most people don't see it."

"Most people don't see your son the way I do."

"Which is?" 

She paused as she thoughts about her husband. Suddenly the mega-watt smile that belonged only to Jack appeared on her face. "He's amazing" She said simply. "The best man I've ever known--" Sam smiled "and he doesn't even see it."

There was a brief silence in the room as each person tried to determine their position in the conversation to come. In Jack’s defence, Abby knew early on how her son felt about his ‘Carter’ not by the number of times he both spoke of her but how he spoke her name. She also knew that this attraction for this woman was also stronger and deeper than any of his past relationships. Jack, like her, loved well but not often. But like all mothers, she worried that the woman in question did not return the same extent and depth of Jack’s love. But when Abby looked into this woman’s eyes, she saw the same look on Sam’s face. Abby knew instinctively that Jack’s love for this woman was completely reciprocated by this woman.

Jack’s mother looked Sam directly in the eye and said honestly. "I didn't think he'd survive losing one family."

Sam realized what Jack’s mother was asking of her. She knew her next spoken words would be some of the most important words of her life. Looking Abby in the eyes, she solemnly vowed, "I can't promise I won't be sent away on some mission or that I won't be killed in action, but I  **can** promise you," she told Abbey earnestly. "I won't ever leave your son. I love him. I love all of him. Believe me, I've seen all of him.  **All** of him. I know him and there is nothing which could convince me to leave him."

Abby smiled at Sam. "Even the grumpy old General face he puts on?"

Sam laughed. "Especially the grumpy old General face he puts on." She shrugged with a smile on her face. She looked at the kitchen and hearing Jack working busily away, she turned to Abby and confessed. "I think it’s kind of adorable."

Abbey nodded her head thoughtfully. Leaning back, she asked conversationally, "So, you’re the PHD Astrophysicist?"

"Um, yeah." She blushed.

"Jonathan tells me you're all kinds of clever."

Sam looked down humbly. "I'm just doing my job." She blushed even more. "Plus, it’s the best bosses which bring out the best in their people."

Abby nodded. Choosing her words carefully, she asked, "I thought Jonathan said you were engaged to someone else? It’s surprising to find you now married to my son."

Sam stared into the flames of the fireplace, giving her time to choose her words carefully as she admitted. "That was a huge mistake." Sam closed her eyes as the recent events of the past eighteen months flashed through her mind. "One of my own making and it almost broke both our hearts." She unconsciously knew that she could confide in her mother-in-law. "Jack and I… Well, you know he was both my military boss, and second in command of the base where we both served. There was nowhere I could go where he wasn't in my chain of command unless one of us left. We made a promise of sorts to each other some time ago of someday.” 

She paused to gather her jumbled thoughts. “They kept telling Jack -- I mean, Jonathan, that he couldn't retire.” She paused to take another deep breath and her voice was shaky when she continued. “And for me… I had a job which I also loved and didn't want to leave. I was also told I was needed exactly where I was. There was no end in sight of either one of us being moved.” She paused again as she remembered all the roadblocks that they faced. “So even though I loved Jack, I thought time was running out for me to…” She took a deep breath and shrugged her shoulders.

Her voice trailed off. Sam took a deep breath in trying to control the tears and knowing she was failing miserably. "That whole relationship was me trying to do something normal, trying have a relationship outside the military, maybe even start a family--" Her voice trailed off as she tried to find the words to explain. “But the deeper I got in, the more I realized it was a huge, huge mistake.” She admitted. “Because I am in love with your son, Ms O’Neill. Wholehearted and completely in love with your son. And this love wasn’t recent. It has developed and nourished on its own for over seven years. Looking back, I know it would always been a part of me… since the day we met." She finally said, brushing away her tears from her eyes. "And there was nothing 'Mr Normal' could do to match up with someone like your son."

She looked her mother-in-law directly, blue eyes on blue eyes. “Your Jonathan is my world. My whole being. I rather would die than hurt him ever again.”

There was silence in the room. Abby looked at Sam with the same inscrutable look on her face, reminiscent of her son. Then out of the blue, she gave Sam a full O’Neill smile as she reached over and grabbed Sam's hand. "I like you." 

“Thank you." Sam murmured softly. “I think the feeling is mutual, Ms O’Neill.” Sam was feeling the same sense of calmness with Jack’s mother that she now did with Jack, knowing where her place in his life was.

"None of this ‘Ms O'Neill’ stuff--" Abby told Sam sternly as Jack walked in the room with a tray and tea on it. "You go right ahead and call me Abbey."

Jack put down the tray on the coffee table in front of the fireplace and whispered conspiratorially to his wife. "She must like you. It took Sara three years to get to first name basis."

Blushing, Sam smiled nervously. Looking around the room she could see pictures of Jack through the years and she couldn’t wait to examine each and every one of them. "So, is this the house that Jack grew up in?"

"Since he was three." Abby informed her. "Before that, we'd been stationed in Chicago from his birth, but his father was killed in a training accident on base, so I moved us here to be nearer to my family."

"Mom built the place up from scratch." Jack said proudly.

"Oh wow!" Sam gasped as she sat there and learned new details about her husband. She never knew Jack had lost his father so young. But then she had no idea that his mother was still alive! She just had no idea, but she would be ecstatic to learn more! 

"Mom used to take me on the woman's rights meetings as a kid." Jack said proudly as he poured them cups of tea. He handed one to his mother first and then Sam’s hers.

"You're a second-wave feminist?" Sam asked in awe, accepting her tea from her husband as her fingers brushing slightly against his in the transfer. "Oh wow!"

"I hear you're a bit of a feminist yourself." Abby smiled. 

Sam's face went from smiling to confused then quickly to horror before she looked at Jack. "You  _ told _ your mother?" Sam asked horrified.

"How couldn't I tell my mother about the hot young captain who, at our very first meeting, gave me the whole reproductive organs speech!"

"Oh God!" She cringed.

"Oh, Jack adored you from day one." Abby teased, enjoying the latest blush to appear on her daughter-in-law’s face. 

“I told you so, too.” Jack reminded her, “that very day.”

“Holy Hannah! I can’t believe you told your mother!” 

Abby laughed before she looked at the pair. “You two must be awfully tired from your journey.” Abbey observed. “Jonathan, once you finish your tea, be a sweetheart and go and air out your bedroom. Everything is where it’s always been. I want to get to know your Samantha a bit better."

Putting his cup down, Jack smiled. Then he kissed Sam on her cheek before getting up and giving his mother an affectionate hug. "Okay." He agreed.

As he turned towards the door to leave, his mother said out loud, "Oh, and Jonathan, get the rosebud quilt. You need something prettier in that room for Samantha here.” 

Jack looked impressed at his wife. "You got mom’s favor fast, Carter. The rosebud quilt is saved for royalty." He grinned before leaving the room so his two favorite women could get to know more about each other. 


End file.
